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Yamato damashii = Gumption?
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aesthete8
Jul 11, 2012, 4:08:35 AM7/11/12
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- If the novel has a theme, it is that of survival. What makes some
people come through catastrophes and others, apparently just as able,
strong, and brave go under? It happens in every upheaval. Some people
survive; others don’t. What qualities are in those who fight their way
through triumphantly that are lacking in those that go under? I only
know that survivors used to call that quality ‘gumption.’ So I wrote
about people who had gumption and people who didn’t.
Margaret Mitchell
-----------------------
Could that explain why GONE WITH THE WIND seems to resonate with the
Japanese?
people come through catastrophes and others, apparently just as able,
strong, and brave go under? It happens in every upheaval. Some people
survive; others don’t. What qualities are in those who fight their way
through triumphantly that are lacking in those that go under? I only
know that survivors used to call that quality ‘gumption.’ So I wrote
about people who had gumption and people who didn’t.
Margaret Mitchell
-----------------------
Could that explain why GONE WITH THE WIND seems to resonate with the
Japanese?
Ben Finney
Jul 11, 2012, 7:52:45 PM7/11/12
to
aesthete8 <art...@gmail.com> writes:
> - If the novel [“Gone with the Wind”] has a theme, it is that of
Interesting. Are you implying the Japanese people are especially
connected with the idea of “What qualities are in those who fight their
way through triumphantly that are lacking in those that go under”?
That idea seems to resonate universally, regardless of nationality. No?
On the other hand, “Yamato damashii” does connote that this is a
specially Japanese quality. Do the Japanese people using this phrase
consider it that way?
--
\ “Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our |
`\ inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter |
_o__) the state of facts and evidence.” —John Adams, 1770-12-04 |
Ben Finney
> - If the novel [“Gone with the Wind”] has a theme, it is that of
connected with the idea of “What qualities are in those who fight their
way through triumphantly that are lacking in those that go under”?
That idea seems to resonate universally, regardless of nationality. No?
On the other hand, “Yamato damashii” does connote that this is a
specially Japanese quality. Do the Japanese people using this phrase
consider it that way?
--
\ “Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our |
`\ inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter |
_o__) the state of facts and evidence.” —John Adams, 1770-12-04 |
Ben Finney
aesthete8
Jul 11, 2012, 9:44:51 PM7/11/12
to
On Jul 11, 1:52 pm, Ben Finney <bignose+hates-s...@benfinney.id.au>
wrote:
way that Americans think of "American exceptionalism"?
wrote:
> aesthete8<art...@gmail.com> writes:
> > - If the novel [“Gone with the Wind”] has a theme, it is that of
> > survival. What makes some people come through catastrophes and others,
> > apparently just as able, strong, and brave go under? It happens in
> > every upheaval. Some people survive; others don’t. What qualities are
> > in those who fight their way through triumphantly that are lacking in
> > those that go under? I only know that survivors used to call that
> > quality ‘gumption.’ So I wrote about people who had gumption and
> > people who didn’t.
>
> > Margaret Mitchell
>
> > -----------------------
>
> > Could that explain why GONE WITH THE WIND seems to resonate with the
> > Japanese?
>
> Interesting. Are you implying the Japanese people are especially
> connected with the idea of “What qualities are in those who fight their
> way through triumphantly that are lacking in those that go under”?
>
> That idea seems to resonate universally, regardless of nationality. No?
>
> On the other hand, “Yamato damashii” does connote that this is a
> specially Japanese quality. Do the Japanese people using this phrase
> consider it that way?
Don't the Japanese think of "Yamato damashi" in more or less the same
> > - If the novel [“Gone with the Wind”] has a theme, it is that of
> > survival. What makes some people come through catastrophes and others,
> > apparently just as able, strong, and brave go under? It happens in
> > every upheaval. Some people survive; others don’t. What qualities are
> > in those who fight their way through triumphantly that are lacking in
> > those that go under? I only know that survivors used to call that
> > quality ‘gumption.’ So I wrote about people who had gumption and
> > people who didn’t.
>
> > Margaret Mitchell
>
> > -----------------------
>
> > Could that explain why GONE WITH THE WIND seems to resonate with the
> > Japanese?
>
> Interesting. Are you implying the Japanese people are especially
> connected with the idea of “What qualities are in those who fight their
> way through triumphantly that are lacking in those that go under”?
>
> That idea seems to resonate universally, regardless of nationality. No?
>
> On the other hand, “Yamato damashii” does connote that this is a
> specially Japanese quality. Do the Japanese people using this phrase
> consider it that way?
way that Americans think of "American exceptionalism"?
Don Kirkman
Jul 12, 2012, 2:47:45 AM7/12/12
to
On Thu, 12 Jul 2012 09:52:45 +1000, Ben Finney
<bignose+h...@benfinney.id.au> wrote:
>aesthete8 <art...@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> - If the novel [“Gone with the Wind”] has a theme, it is that of
>> survival. What makes some people come through catastrophes and others,
>> apparently just as able, strong, and brave go under? It happens in
>> every upheaval. Some people survive; others don’t. What qualities are
>> in those who fight their way through triumphantly that are lacking in
>> those that go under? I only know that survivors used to call that
>> quality ‘gumption.’ So I wrote about people who had gumption and
>> people who didn’t.
>>
>> Margaret Mitchell
>>
>> -----------------------
>>
>> Could that explain why GONE WITH THE WIND seems to resonate with the
>> Japanese?
>
>Interesting. Are you implying the Japanese people are especially
>connected with the idea of “What qualities are in those who fight their
>way through triumphantly that are lacking in those that go under”?
>
>That idea seems to resonate universally, regardless of nationality. No?
>
>On the other hand, “Yamato damashii” does connote that this is a
>specially Japanese quality. Do the Japanese people using this phrase
>consider it that way?
大和魂 【やまとだましい】 (n) the Japanese spirit
<bignose+h...@benfinney.id.au> wrote:
>aesthete8 <art...@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> - If the novel [“Gone with the Wind”] has a theme, it is that of
>> survival. What makes some people come through catastrophes and others,
>> apparently just as able, strong, and brave go under? It happens in
>> every upheaval. Some people survive; others don’t. What qualities are
>> in those who fight their way through triumphantly that are lacking in
>> those that go under? I only know that survivors used to call that
>> quality ‘gumption.’ So I wrote about people who had gumption and
>> people who didn’t.
>>
>> Margaret Mitchell
>>
>> -----------------------
>>
>> Could that explain why GONE WITH THE WIND seems to resonate with the
>> Japanese?
>
>Interesting. Are you implying the Japanese people are especially
>connected with the idea of “What qualities are in those who fight their
>way through triumphantly that are lacking in those that go under”?
>
>That idea seems to resonate universally, regardless of nationality. No?
>
>On the other hand, “Yamato damashii” does connote that this is a
>specially Japanese quality. Do the Japanese people using this phrase
>consider it that way?
[I'm afraid the spell check will demolish the kanji]
(thanks, JWPce!) ISTM it connotes something more than gumption,
which I have never felt meant very much more than git-up-and-go or
seeing things through in the face of not very serious opposition or
problems.
IMBW but yamato damashii suggests to me a uniting spirit of pride and
dedication, somewhat like "The Pride of the [NY] Yankees" writ large.
--
Don Kirkman
don...@charter.net
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